The present invention is directed to a tipover prevention apparatus for an appliance, wherein a home appliance is mounted adjacent a vertical wall surface. A problem with current home appliances is the possibility of tipover if excess loads are applied to a door or other extension beyond the appliance base and the center of gravity of the appliance. Because of product safety concerns, the need to reduce manufacturing and shipping costs, and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, a particular problem arises in the case of electric or gas freestanding ranges. A freestanding range typically includes an oven door which is hinged to the range about its lower edge. In an open position, the oven door is generally level with the surrounding range support surface, and is less than one foot from the surface. In this position, the door may be subjected to unintended heavy loads, which tend to cause the range to tip upwardly and forwardly, and, in extreme cases, to tip over completely. An example of such an unintended load is the instance where a falling person may intentionally or inadvertently land on the door, or use the door for support when recovering from a fall. Yet another example is the instance where one or more children step up on the open oven door to reach objects on the range cooktop or adjacent countertop.
In the present invention, a tether cable extends generally horizontally across the wall-adjoining surface of the appliance. The tether cable is removably secured by a wall bracket mounted on the wall, thereby preventing tipover of the appliance when excess loading is placed on the appliance door.
The use of a floor bracket in conjunction with an appliance for prevention of tipping is disclosed in presently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/294,307, Rutherford et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention. A single floor-mounted bracket prevents tipping of the appliance by interfering with motion of an appliance foot when tipping is induced. However, no wall bracket is shown for removably securing an appliance to a wall by means of a tether cable extending generally horizontally across the wall-adjoining surface.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,695, Chou, a wall bracket extending horizontally and mounted on a wall surface has two outwardly projecting end portions. Openings in the rear panel of an appliance accept the end portions, and interfere with upward motion of the appliance, whereby induced forward tipping of the appliance is prevented. A disadvantage to the disclosed design is the inability to use the bracket on an existing appliance, inasmuch as a tooling change is required to provide openings in the appliance rear panel. A further disadvantage to the disclosed design is the high material cost associated with such a large bracket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,948, Casciani, a pair of brackets are provided for preventing tipover in an appliance, in which each of the brackets is secured both to the appliance support surface and a wall surface. An end portion of each bracket projects outwardly from the wall surface. Openings in the rear panel of an appliance accept the end portions, and interfere with upward motion of the appliance, whereby induced forward tipping of the appliance is prevented. A disadvantage to the disclosed design is the inability to use the bracket on an existing appliance, inasmuch as a tooling change is required to provide openings in the appliance rear panel.